The Freaky Family
by JJBluebell
Summary: What is normal? Normal, is in the eye of the beholder, it's what makes you happy, it's not the same for everyone. Me? I have a kind of a ...unusual family, but still it works, I'm happy... then the freak show came to town and the funny thing is, I was scared, terrified... I've never met anyone like me before. What would it mean for us? For my messed up little Family?
1. Chapter 1

**1930 **

**Richland County, South Carolina**

It was a still night, no breeze to sooth the sweat on your brow but had one of those chills that set in to the bones. The roads were clear and lit by the night sky alone, far too late for anyone to actually be lurking around, well almost anyone.

Elroy Booker was alone, walking the empty foul smelling allies to get home. It had been a hard year for Elroy, for the most of the free world; The Depression was hitting workers hard and Elroy knew better than to believe his job at the Taxi Company was going to last much longer. All it took was someone of 'the right color' to come in looking for work and Elroy wood be done for. Out on his ear…

The truth was it scared him, scared him that one day he'd be unable to provide for his family. To feed them, clothe them, just keeping them safe was a full time job.

It scared him straight to hell.

These where the things rattling around Elroy's head that still, cold night, until something shook him to his very core, a sound, so piercing and alarming it stopped him dead in his boots. With a wide eyed glance over his shoulder Elroy swallowed hard, turning back towards the putrid, gritty old dumpster he'd walked mindlessly passed only moments before. As he neared the sound became louder, more demanding to be heard and as his hand tossed the lid back his heart almost stopped, mouth dry as he prayed his eyes deserved him.

A baby; a small, helpless freezing infant screaming at the top of its lungs for mercy, for comfort, for love.

Elroy could barely breathe as coarse fingers moved to lift the child; he didn't understand how someone could do such a vile thing. As he took the screaming baby into his arms, into the moonlit street Elroy saw it, the dark greyish patches of small leopard like spots on fresh pink rosy skin, her dainty little ears pointed towards the heavens, he thought the child a boy when retrieving it from the dank shadows, but no, as he held her in his arms his eyes widened in disbelief at the small soft bony tail curving out from the end of her spine. She was still crying, still half covered in dried blood and placenta, not to mention the dirt from the garbage. And it was cold, and getting colder.

What was he to do?

Leave her?

No, Elroy Booker was many things but he was not a monster, for only that would leave a child to fend for themselves in this cruel callous world. So he carefully shrugged off his coat, wrapping the soft warm leather around the pink, spotted girl. He held her close in the makeshift swaddle; she must have been so damn cold, so scared. He rocked her gently as he continued on his path home and soothed her in his southern drawl "hush now little one, your safe now, sshh. I'm here"

Elroy stood outside his small, single story home for a moment, looking at the chipped blue door with a long sigh as he looked to the sleeping baby in his arms.

He walked in to his home and found it quiet but for the crackling of the small fire in the living room. He walked through to the thankfully more than tepid room to find his beautiful wife resting on the rickety old chair they bought ten years ago from a flea market. With a lick of his lips he knelt before her, shaking her hand softly to see her chocolate eyes flutter open "Louise, sweetheart…"

Louise smiled for a moment as her tied eyes found her husband looking up at her dotingly, but with a fear that made her brow frown "Elroy, what's the matter?"

"I had to Lou; you'd have done the same."

"Done what? Elroy Booker, you better tell me what the devil's going on this very second!" Louise was starting to get scared but the second she looked down, finally tearing herself always from her husband's face to follow his downcast eyes.

Louise looked at the sleeping girl with wonder and worry as Elroy explained "She was all alone Lou, left out in the cold, in the _trash_! They put this poor sweet little one in a dumpster, threw her away like she was nothing… just because she's different. That aint right."

"Elroy, honey, what you did is admirable, but this baby don't belong here… in the morning we'll take her to the hospital or the authority's and I'm sure someone will give her a good home. Maybe her Mama might even come looking for her. She might have just panicked, been some silly girl who got herself in trouble. Birthmarks are hardly that uncommon or a reason to leave behind a newborn." Louise was trying to be the responsible one, trying to thing with her heat when her husband didn't seem to have one, just a heart of gooey gold.

She looked at the sleeping child, saw the two sets of dark dots that framed her angelic face, the first cluster laying on the right of her forehead and brushing through her almost non-existent hairline, the second trailed around her left cheek, high past her eye and dipping under her jaw. Louise could see the baby was beautiful, birthmarks or not, but she also knew she could never stay.

So she quickly swiped the child from Elroy's arms before he could further explain, he tried, he did but his wife is a fierce and determined woman, one of the many reason's he loves her "Don't you look at me like that. Just go fish out some of Archer's old baby things and warm up some milk. Don't forget to clean the bottle; poor thing must as hungry as she is dirty."

Elroy didn't have a change to argue as Louise took the baby into the bathroom, he knew she was right, but it didn't feel right.

Once Louise had the sink warmed nicely with a few bubbles, she carefully unwrapped the girl from the worn leather coat. With a hand on her stomach to sooth and wake her "come on darlin', bath time."

As her eyes opened the child didn't cry, just looked into Louise's eyes for a long moment, letting her see the opal greenish blue and thin black of her pupil's, then she cried. Louise laughed for a moment as she picked up the baby "I know, but we got to get all that nasty off ya."

As her hand came to support the girl's bottom she felt it, the small fleshy tail "oh good lord."

"Mama?" at the small confused voice Louise turned to find her five year old rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Archie sweetheart what are you doing up at this ungodly hour?" she knew why, he'd heard the small baby girl in her arms screaming out in panic and need.

The curious boy came closer with wide eyes as he looked over the baby still clutched in his mother's arms and sneered "What is it?"

"A Baby, a baby girl." Louise smiled down to Archer, before turning to actually bathe the girl before the water got to cold. Archer leered over the sink top beside his mother and asked "what's wrong with it?"

Louise froze at the why her child spoke. '**It**' like this sweet baby was one of his dead goldfish he could never take care of, like she wasn't even human. Archer looked up at his mother waiting for an answer, but it came from a deep voice behind them instead "nothing…"

They turned to find Elroy stood firm at the door, a warmed bottle and Archers old pram clothes in hand while almost glaring at his own son as he spoke, sweeping Archer up to watch Louise continue to bathe the wide eyed girl, no longer crying but staring around the room in bewilderment "you see son there aint nothing wrong with her, she's just a little different. That's all, but she's still just as special as you."

The boy frowned in confusion for a second before nodding mutely, putting his fingers in the bubbles to play with the girls little fingers and beamed brightly when her doll like hand gripped onto his finger "she likes me!"

Louise smiled at that and looked to her husband; she understood now what he meant by different, about how the world would see this child, as their boy had and folks didn't have elders like Elroy setting them straight. Well, not many anyway.

Once the baby was dressed and fed she fell into a happy slumber on Archer's chest, who'd insisted he was the one who had to feed her, before playing the sweet girl into the makeshift cot they'd assembled from a weave basket, blankets and pillows.

Elroy watched as Archer kissed the baby's head before climbing back into his own bed with a kiss from each his parents. Louise looked at her husband; saw the determined look in his eyes as she sighed from her seat on her son's bed "it's a harsh world Elroy, it's going to be even harsher now, tighter on funds to."

"Lou?" Elroy walked further into the room; hope springing his step as his wife smiled with a roll of her eyes "well, we can't just leave her out in the cold, what are we, savage's?"

"So we can keep her?" Archer smiled brightly, bouncing up from his bed.

Elroy grabbed his wife and kissed her so hard it almost hurt before smiling "that's the woman I married; logical to the bitter end."

"Yeah, yeah now get your mitts off of me in case you forgot we need a real crib and I'll stitch up some of Archer's old things until we can muster up some money for new ones, then theirs milk and diapers and a name, I'm pretty sure she aint getting by without a name." Louise ranted in with a fold of her arms, all three looking down to the dreaming girl.

"What about Edna?" Elroy smiled, eager and excited.

Louise glared at her husband "What is she eighty?"

With a shrug Archer spoke absently "there was a girl in the park once name Mae, I think that's pretty."

Elroy rolled on from his son's comment "My mother's name was Mary."

The room was silent for a moment, just a moment before Louise smiled "hhmm Mary-Mae Booker."

"Mary-Mae, I like it." Archer smiled before yarning wide; Elroy took the boy off his feet to lay him down in the comfort of his much needed bed "me to son, now get some sleep."

With a kiss on his head Elroy walked over to the ba-_Mary-Mae_, kissed her brow as whispered "sweet dreams my little snowflake."

His wife held out her hand to him after making sure the blankets were high and not too tight on Mary-Mae. As their fingers entwine and the door to their son-no-_children's_ room closes to a-jar Elroy asked "Why the change of heart?"

"Because for once you were right, I mean people don't accept us just because we're chocolate instead of vanilla, how the hell are they meant to accept that little darlin' pot of strawberry?" Louise looked up to her husband, finding a big old smile on his face.

"So your saying I was right?" Elroy was beaming as Louise rolled her eyes "for once, don't get used to it… besides I always wanted a daughter."

With a knowing smile Elroy follows his wife to bed, knowing the two children just down the hall are sleeping soundly, safely, loved.

That night Elroy made a promise to himself, his wife and those kids; _**blood's what you bleed, but family is forever. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**First off a big thank you to everyone who reviewed and faved, really made my day, sorry about the wait but here it is, hope you like it and let me know what you think.**

**Thanks again, JJ**

**1952**

**Jupiter, Florida **

Time had flown like a whistle in the wind; the Booker family had lived in the small sunny town of Jupiter since the spring of 48' and for the most part they'd lived quietly, simply… well they tried to anyway.

No matter how the times changed life was still hard for the Booker family. Being a family of dark skin was hard enough but one with a feline-featured white adopted daughter was even harder, but that never faulted them. They were a family.

A slightly odd and unusual family but a family nonetheless.

And Louise had taught her children that life is hard no matter who you are or what you look like, that's life and the only thing fair about life is that it's unfair to everyone. They had settled in well into the small town, kept to themselves and they thrived, they we're happy.

The Booker house was up to meet the sun that Monday morning, Louise already sowing away at a green dress she was determined to finish before lunch "Lou, will you just eat your breakfast?"

"I'm almost done; I just have to fix this cursed hemline." Elroy smiled with a shake of his head, placing another plate of French Toast down on of the other empty set places in time for Mary-Mae to push through the kitchen door, pulling rollers from her thick chocolate curls as she smiles with a kiss to her parents cheeks "Morning Mama, Morning Daddy."

"Morning Snowflake." Elroy smiled brightly as Mary-Mae, with a deep breath, carefully snatched away the dress in her mother's hands. Louise opened her mouth to complain until Mary-Mae took her seat, placing the dress on the back of her own seat "Mama you got to eat, Mrs. Harris's dress will still be here when you're done, besides like you always say 'A peaceful sleep and a full tummy is the only right way to start the day'."

Elroy smiled as he took his own seat, Louise giving a half-hearted scowl before turning to her husband "you see that Elroy? Turning my own words against me… our girl's all grown up and taking notes."

"Ya'll taught me well Mama." Mary-Mae laughs with a bite into the buttery goodness on hear plate.

Louise starts to enjoy her own chilled breakfast as Elroy sees the time, looking to the kitchen door with a groan "Snowflake could you go get your brother up… and take those tubes with you."

"Their called rollers Daddy and keep Mama's mitts off that dress" Mary-Mae smirks, showing her doubled pair of pointy pearly fangs, before walking out towards her brother's room with a piece of French toast in hand.

Low and behold Archer was laid out on his stomach, half hanging off his bed with drool dribbling onto his pillow, blanket thrown back due to the unforgiving Californian heat, showing the course ripple of burned scars across his left side and along the drape of his arms. Walking closer Mary-Mae rolled her greenish-blue orbs as she shoved his shoulder "Archie, Archie come on wake up."

When all he did was groan and slap his lips together in his docile state Mary-Mae smiled cheekily, quickly devouring the piece of toast in her hand, and then jumping full force on top of her brother screaming "Tickle attack!"

Archer winched at her body flinging onto him, and then all but bolted upright as her small fingers with her pointed claw-like nails started attacking him playfully "I'm up, I'm up!"

Laughing hard Mary-Mae stopped torturing her brother long enough to ask "Morning, you still driving me to work?"

"Sure, kitten; just get the hell off me." Archer groaned, trying weakly to shove his sister to the floor but settled for taking the pillow from under his head, knocking her off with a quick blow to the stomach. Mary-Mae giggled as she hit the floor, flipping her hair back as she crossed her arms on the lumpy mattress, Archer glaring with sleepy distain "I hate you."

Standing with a kiss to Archer's brow she turns "Liar! You adore your little Mary-Mae." She just misses the pillow he throws with a snigger by bolting out the door.

Mary-Mae was getting ready for work, she couldn't choose between her power-blue, embroidered sundress or her pink rose floral tea dress, both laid out on her bed as she started to smother her fair, silky, spotted skin with foundation. She spread the cream over her face, trying to dull that dotted patches when a disgruntled sigh echo's in the small room "I really hate when you do that."

"Daddy…" Mary-Mae's head and heart sank at her father's disparagement, she knew what her covering up made him think, when she ware the layers of make-up, her cat tilled sunglasses to hide the slim slit of her pupils, gloves to cover her finely painted claws and then there was the binders… you see as Mary-Mae grew up, so did that bony little tail of hers, it grew long and strong and harder to hide. They once had it x-rayed when she was fourteen and had fallen hard down the stairs, turns out the tail was much like a cats, they even brought in a vet, it's filled with over 20 vertebrae and ligaments that allowed it to move and sway, she could even pick things up with it thanks to the added muscle strength of her Mama's home ballet classes, but it was so long, almost three feet to Mary-Mae's five. So she did the only thing she could think of, wore puffy skirts and bound her twitchy tail down with old sheet rags.

Her father never approved, not once.

Taking a seat beside his little girl Elroy pushed back the lushes' curls she always kept down and flowing "you know how beautiful you are? Why hide all that, Snowflake?"

Taking his rough worked hands in hers Mary-Mae almost wept "I aint hiding Daddy, I know who I am and I like being me, being your unique little Snowflake, I do! But I just… sometimes it's just nice not to be stared at all the darn time is all."

"I know, I know… I just need to hear you say it, reassure this old timer." Elroy kisses her brow like he would when she was a girl before standing to leave for his shift at the dinner, lingering only for a moment to smile over his shoulder "wear the blue one, matches your eyes."

"Thanks Daddy."

Mary-Mae knew he'd never understand, her father loved her with every ounce of flesh on his bones but he could never understand, none of them could, not really and she was ok with that because Mary-Mae was loved for exactly who she was and had been everyday of her life and she knew that was more than most.

So she picked up the powder-blue dress with a smile, her tail swaying merrily as remembered how loved she was, by her doting father, sassy mother and idiot brother, what more could a girl need?

What indeed.

The drive to work was filled with her and Archer singing off key to the radio and when they pulled up outside the back of the library Archer turned down the radio to watch his sister slip on her ivory suede gloves and secure her white sweater to her makeup covered arms. Archer didn't like seeing her without her spots, it was like looking at a different person, not that he ever spoke on it mind, not after he'd seen her pained expression when Elroy brought it up.

No, Archer kept his mouth shut but that didn't mean he had to like it.

Even in that moment he almost forgot who the hell was in his car until she turned to him in his navy oil stained jumpsuit with that hundred watt fanged smile "So, you'll meet me here at five?"

"Yeah, I'm off at five dead, Deans got me workin' on that crappy old bus they gave the school, so if I'm late just wait inside for me, alright?" he was looking at her like Louise did, all firm and serious but it just made Mary-Mae laugh as she leaned over to kiss his cheek "will do, love you Archie."

"Love you too Kitten." He smiled with a small wave, refusing to leave the spot until she was safely inside the book covered haven. He didn't like the fact she worked so far from home, in the upper side of town where he'd be strung up for even looking at her, let alone for being in the same car.

Archer knew not all people where good, knew it far too well, as did Mary-Mae, so yeah every day when he dropped her off he hesitated to leave.

After all it's a brother's job to protect his little sister.

The day had passed much like the one before, the only people that really spoke to Mary-Mae where those that were looking for a particular book or section they couldn't find, other than that they just handed her the books to sign out without much more than a 'hello-good day' and truth be told she kind of liked it, being invisible was nice, easier. Don't get me wrong Mary-Mae wasn't ashamed of whom she was, not one for an instant, it just felt good to accepted by the public eye, even if it was a thin façade created with pale makeup and tail binders.

Mary-Mae was clearing some of books left on the table when she heard some of the university boys talking a few tables over, she knew they came from money because they talked all snobby and clicked at her when they wanted something "Have you read this?"

"What?"

"According to the paper there's a Freak Show just opened on the Haddonfield land" he spoke like it was the most exciting thing since the creation of ice-cream, but it made Mary-Mae's heart stop as well as her movements.

She was frozen to the spot as the other sniggered "perhaps we should take some fruit, show our '_appreciation_'"

I tear rolled without permission over Mary-Mae's cheek, smearing her perfectly normal looking makeup. She didn't think as her legs carried her quickly down the stacks, dropping the books to the floor as she gripped a nearby shelf for support. She bit at her trembling lip until the coppery tang of blood filled her mouth, she pushed back their cruel joke and the memories to scratched open, no mare tears came and with a quick adjustment to her makeup she carried on, pretending to be just another shadow in this world of blinding light.

She held her head high with pride because that's what she did; she was Mary-Mae Booker damn-it!

By the time Archer had come to get her and they had gotten home it was almost dark and in truth Mary-Mae was looking forward to ridding herself of the hefty makeup and tight rags that made her tail go numb. However the moment they come through the door they we're met with their mothers beaming smile "oh there you are what took so long, never mind, I have a surprise for you both."

The siblings shared a look, noticing their father biting his nails and rocking on his heels, a nervous habit that made whatever about to be said more anxious, Archer the only one brave enough to ask "Well Mama?"

From her piney Louise pulled four brightly colored pieces of paper, no wait, not paper… "I managed to get us all tickets for the new show set up on the Haddonfield's!"

"What?" Mary-Mae all but screamed, making her brother jump and father frown with a knowing upset look on his face.

Louise however mistook this fear riddled screech for excitement "that's right, tomorrow night. I figured it's about time our little Mary-Mae branched out, met someone who understands her."

The cat-eyed brunette looked to her mother with dry lips as she shook her head "Mama…"

"Now, now don't give me that 'but I've got you and ya'll understand me' stuff, because yes we love you and we understand, but not the way these people will. Besides it'll be good for you, meeting folk like yourself." Louise was so caught up in the moment she couldn't see the utter terror on her daughters face "Mama please…"

"Hush now, Honey, you just trust in your Mama… oh we're going to have such a good time." Louise pulled Mary-Mae close, filled with joy and pride and love, but couldn't see her little girl who clang to her staring to her brother and father for some salvation.

How in the world would she ever get out of this?


	3. Chapter 3

_It was cold, so beautifully cold with the thick blanket of snow lining the empty streets just outside the Booker's door. You could hear the howl of the wind as it carried each snowflake through the dark night. _

_Mary-Mae was small, so small her nightdress hung on her pale frame as she stood near the window watching as the snow floated like autumn leaves, a small smile adoring her captivated expression. She remembered one winter she'd asked her father what snow was, so he's taken her outside on his hip, wrapped tight in a blanket and answered 'Snow it made up of magic, every good thing and joy comes with snow. It takes all the bad and ugly things in the world and makes them beautiful and unique. Every Snowflake is magic dust. Like you…' Ever since that night she felt safe in the icy breeze of the soft, welcoming white blanket that fell from the heavens. _

_However as she watches the snow fall from the sky she notices how some appear a fiery bright color, it takes a second for her to realize the snow no longer floats to the ground but burns hellfire outside her window, she can taste the smoke before she sees the flames. The fire quickly takes the house down around her and she's screaming, screaming so loud but she can't move, the feeling of hands tugging at her, laughing in her ear, hurting her worse than the smothering smoke form the blistering blaze. She hears other voices calling for her, then a figure engulfed in flame running towards her… _

"AAHHH!"

In less than a moment the door to Mary-Mae's bedroom opens, her whole family rushing to her bedside as her father brushes the cold sweat from her brow "Mary-Mae what happened?"

"I…it just… Daddy?" it's only then she seems to remember where she is, that she's safe, their all safe "I'm sorry, just a nightmare."

Louise took a seat near Mary-Mae, all but pushing her husband aside as she cooed over her youngest "my poor baby girl, well it's alright now, Mama's going to fetch you some warm milk ok? Daddy and Archer are right here, baby, I'll be two ticks."

Elroy put an arm around his little girl, wiping away any tears that remained on her porcelain cheeks with a smile "Don't worry Snowflake, nothing can get you now."

When Louise came in with the glass in hand she was followed a few seconds later by Archer, whom no one had seen slip silently from the room, but he was now laying a blanket on the floor with a dog-eared pillow under his arm "you good baby?"

"Yeah, thanks Mama." Louise kissed her daughters head as she lay down, Elroy leaning to place a peck on her nose before the pair stand over Archer, whom was now sprawled on the hard floor as comfortably as he can "Archie, take care of your sister."

The two laughed weakly at their father's words before Mary-Mae finishes her milk, one arm falling from the bed only to be entwined with Archers warm worn fingers. He squeezes her hand lightly as both their eyes close drowsily "I got you Kitten."

She slept soundly for the rest on the night, Archer was there to protect her… and maybe the milk helped a little.

When morning came the family returned to its usual routine, Elroy making breakfast, Louise sorting out her fabrics for the latest order of dresses and suits, Archer took his sweet time getting up only to shovel down his food like a pig before his mother slapped him on the head and told him to remember his manners, Mary-Mae quietly sung along to the radio as she applied her 'normal' makeup and got ready for the day, she didn't work Thursday's but had ernes to run.

"Need a hand?" the brunette all but jumped out of her skin, but rolled her eyes at her mother's amused laugh.

Mary-Mae was stood in her underwear, binding in hand as her pale spotted tail swayed in the air, a thin smile come to her pink tinted lips as she nodded thanks and Louise made her way around the bed, taking the bindings from her daughter as her tail lowered to wrap around her leg. "So are you excited about tonight?"

At her mother's keen tone Mary-Mae chewed a fang into the corner of her anxious bottom lip "actually Mama I don't feel so good, maybe I should just stay home this evenin'?"

"Nice try" Louise chuckled as she tied a firm, slightly pinching knot into the tail ties.

Mary-Mae doesn't look her mother in the eye as she turns to gather her crimson chiffon dress Louise had made from the bed, as she tied the dark red ribbon around her waist Mary-Mae sighed "I just don't think it's a good idea Mama, I mean what if something happens?"

"Like what? Mary-Mae your just being a worry wart is all, everything will be fine." Louise was trying to reassure her daughter, trying to make her see that the world isn't such a bad place with so many horrible people all the time, she was just trying to help… but it didn't.

Mary-Mae turned on her heels to glare her mother down "_Fine_? _**Fine**_? The last time you said everythin' would be fine we had to uproot our whole damned lives, we lost everything… _**AGAIN**_! And it's always because of me, because those stupid idjit's out in the world cant except that all people are just plain different, that' _I'm _different! I won't go, you can't make me…"

Louise felt her chest tighten at her daughter's disgruntled expression, arms folded in a juvenile manner "Mary-Mae Booker what has gotten into you? You are stronger than this and you will go, you will grow up and you will be going with us tonight as planned."

Mary-Mae tried to fight back the tears as her claw like nails swept through her chocolate curls and buried into her scalp "NO! I won't do it!"

"Don't you raise your voice to me young lady, I'm your mother!"

"NO YOUR NOT!"

The words where out before Mary-Mae even had time to realize what she'd said, and so was she, she flew out of the house in her rage, the door slams to a shuddering close behind her. It's only when Mary-Mae is more than four blocks from the house does she realizes what she said, what she's done and how she saw the flash of utter heartbreak on Louise's face.

Louise, who loved and raised her, who made her warm milk to sooth nightmares and taught her how to read and wright… her mother.

How could she say such a thing?

She crumbled to the floor, uncaring that passersby were looking, that her feet were cold and dirty from her lack of stockings or shoes, meaning the world could see the grey speckled creamy legs.

And for the first time in a long time Mary-Mae didn't give a damn, how could she, she was far too busy hating herself…

The sky was starting to turn a pinkish blue color, meaning it was getting late, right? Mary-Mae wasn't sure; she didn't know what time it was, just that she'd been walking for so long the ache of her bleeding, blistered feet had become numb to her and that the cool grass felt good between her toes. She'd followed a path through the tree's to hide from the scorching sun, not to mention the lady who'd stopped at the sight of a crying, barefoot girl in the street, only to gasp in horror at the sight of her spotted legs, clawed hands the fangs that dug into her trembling lower lip. From then on she'd been almost in a daze, replaying Louise's inconsolable expression over and over in her tormented little head.

"Meep!"

The high pitched noise shook Mary-Mae from her transit state only to find a small man, about a foot or so smaller than herself with what looked like a feather duster strapped to his head and wearing a grey feathered sort of coat.

"Meep, meep, meep, meep!"

He looked rather panicked with in turn panicked Mary-Mae "Hey, hush, look, um I think I'm lost… can you…"

"_MEEP_!"

"Can we help you?" the voice was accusing and suspicious and so unannounced that it made the poor girl trip over her own injured feet as she tried to turn and face the stranger.

As she fell into the weed covered ground Mary-Mae looked up to see another man, combed blonde hair and bright blue eyes that were washed over with concern as he quickly tried to aid her, kneeling into the ground as to offer her a hand that she took gladly "you alright love?"

"Yeah, I believe so, you startled me is all." she was wiping down her dress as she spoke, her mother would tan her hide raw if she ruined that dress.

"Sorry, wasn't intestinal. It's usually not until people actually see me they get startled." He said it almost lighthearted with a bitter undertone, like a bad joke and Mary-Mae frowned, only then taking the time to notice the ink that seemed to cover all but his handsome face, his arms short and almost looking like flippers.

Her smile was weak as she noticed the look in his eyes, almost like he was expecting her to scream and runaway or something... but she didn't do any of that, just tilted her head and smiled "I don't see why."

His face shined with a sort of relief and gratitude at her honest tone, holding out his hand with a tight lipped smile "I'm Paul and that's Meep."

"Mary-Mae Booker." The brunette smiled for the first time that day as she shook the man's hand, turning to shake Meep's hand, the smaller man was anxious at first, but at Paul's small nod ran to the girl in a tackling hug "MEEP, MEEP!"

"Sorry about that, he gets excited." Sheepishly she returned the hug, before pulling away from the man with a wisp of a smile.

As she smiled at Meep, Paul took in her appearance, the beautiful crimson dress, her puffy pink cheeks and smeared makeup showing the edges to the birthmarks that framed her face, but the first thing he noticed, even when she'd fallen was her feet, broken and bloody "you need some help love?"

Mary-Mae whipped her curls around so she could look at the tattooed man and swallowed hard at his expression, lowering her head to fiddle with her fingers "I- um – I'm afraid to say I'm lost, didn't realize I'd walked so far out of town."

"Right, well how about we figure that out after we get those looked at?" Paul was trying to smile but with Mary-Mae's solemn expression it wasn't easy.

She looked to the falling sun and realized how late it must actually be "I don't got time, I should really get home before dark."

Meep looked between the two with a confused look as he took the girls hand and tried to drag her into the clearing, Paul knew he was trying to get her over to the battered old car the show got from a police auction a few years back "Where is he taking me?"

Her voice instantly filled with panic as she tried to pull back her hand "Meep stop… the car, he just wants to help is all."

But Meep doesn't stop pulling, doesn't let her go and Mary-Mae cant breath, her chest tightens as they near the tents "LET GO OF ME!"

"HEY!"

The voice is strong and echoing but Mary-Mae barely hears it over her own internal screaming, she can hear voices in her head, laughing and taunting as someone's strong ranging grip rips her hand from Meep's "what's going on here?"

For the third time that day Mary-Mae is on the floor, the air became so thin she couldn't catch any of it "Hey, breathe, just come on look at me."

A pair of doughy brown eyes caught hers as something warm and long grabbed her arms to steady her shaking form "Hey, it's alright your ok."

"Paul what the hecks all this about?" he isn't looking at Mary-Mae anymore, but stern at his friend and wondering why Meep and this stranger are both now so upset.

"Lady just needs some help getting home mate; Meep got a bit carried away." Suddenly Mary-Mae notices the small fur covered man nibbling on his fingers with a quiet sob and stands on shaky legs, both Paul and Jimmy look to her as she reaches out her hand to the one worded man "I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to…"

But it's no good, for the small childlike man scurries away and as they bloodied feet of the booker girl tries to follow a large finger glued hand waves out before her "not the best idea, better to let him cool off."

Mary-Mae goes to open her mouth but closes it seeing that Meep had vanished into his trailer stumbles to a stop, casting a woeful glance to her swollen feet as she mutters "I didn't mean no harm."

Jimmy looks over the girl, not her spotted skin or clawed fingers, but the tinted blue green orbs that were flooding with nothing but regret and fear, two things he knew well "I'll drive you home."

Every bone in the little feline woman froze like rock before she shook her head, trying her best to relax, remain calm, just don't fucking panic! "No offence mister but I don't know ya'll, ya'll are strangers to me and I aint getting in a car with no stranger."

Jimmy's face became stern almost angry as he jumped to the assumption that this girl was politely refusing the aid of a 'freak' that is until she smiles her pearly fangs at him weakly "however I'd be thankful for the escort home."

"Sure thing, right after we get something for those feet. No arguments." At Paul's insistence Mary-Mae smiles bashfully, meanwhile Jimmy's face was a wash of confusion.

Why had she gotten so upset about Meep and the car?

Why did she not seem shocked or horrified?

Jimmy watches as Paul offers his arm to the girl who takes it sheepishly, without a hint of fear, and twitches half his face into an awe-struck smile. He didn't even notices her oddities like Paul had, not at first anyway, but as he races up to them Jimmy fixed his hat with a small nod before clearing his throat "I'm Jimmy by the way, Jimmy Darling."

Careful of her blistered feet she walked smiled her best smile, feeling the blush run up her cheeks as she spoke "Mary-Mae Booker. It's a pleasure"

Suddenly she didn't feel so scared anymore…

**So sorry about the wait things have been mental here, hope you enjoyed and review.**

**Thanks, **

**JJ X x**


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